Elections Office in uncharted waters
Jamie Ray (left) and Asa Gray exercise social distancing as they work at the Kootenai County Elections Office Thursday. Social distancing will become a more complicated challenge on May 19, when election officials count votes for the primary election. (Image courtesy of Shelly Amos)
Locke
Absentee voting is best solution
As Idaho joins the rest of the world in trying to “flatten the curve” in the fight against the coronavirus, people are discovering new challenges in their daily lives.
One of the first challenges Jennifer Locke had to overcome was an unexpected surprise: envelopes.
“We start preparing for an election by ordering 20,000 envelopes to mail out,” the Kootenai County chief deputy clerk said. “For the May election, we got the go-ahead from the Secretary of State to order 40,000 more.”
The sudden need for more envelopes is due to a statewide absentee mail-in ballot push to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As the days stretch out along with the pandemic’s curve, the Kootenai County Elections Office inches closer to the May 19 primary election. But envelopes, frankly, are among the least of the office’s problems.
“This has never been done before so we’re hitting uncharted waters,” Kootenai County Elections manager Shelly Amos said. “We’re preparing as we get closer and closer [to election day] to get ready for social distancing, but what does that look like when people are lining up to vote? When people are checking in? People will be using the same pen. We’re going to have to come up with ways to make it work.”
The pen solution, Amos and Locke agreed, is for everyone to bring their own pen, but like every other issue facing the election team, there are few guarantees in a process that is required by state law to come with guarantees.
“We have to have this election,” Locke said. “State law mandates we hold this election.”
A push for absentee voting has been at the top of the list to help diminish large crowds come May 19. Voters have until May 8 to request an absentee ballot, which they can do online at idahovotes.gov or by visiting the Kootenai County Elections Office.
“There’s a lot that goes on for an ordinary Election Day,” Amos said. “We have to gather poll workers. We have to conduct trainings. We have to confirm polling places, and right now, many of those polling places are closed. We can’t find poll workers who are willing to be in contact with the public.”
Locke said the most reliable remedy right now is for voters to sign up for absentee voting. She believes more answers for the elections team will come.
“We’re in daily contact with the Secretary of State’s office,” Locke said. “They’re really pushing the online absentee requests right now. And it’s really easy to do. Just have your valid drivers’ license or state ID ready, as well as the last four of your Social Security number, go to idahovotes.gov, and follow the steps.”
Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney has discussed with all Idaho clerks about the counties’ options for the upcoming election, which include postponing the election or conducting an all-mailout absentee vote.
Counting votes used to be a team effort with workers huddled around a pile of ballots. The new age of social distancing will likely prevent that technique.
“We’re looking at all the space we have available,” Locke said. “We’re looking at all the ways we can maximize the room we have here.”
